Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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When Wildfires Come Calling

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Kimberly A. Cook

Is September gone? REALLY gone? I made one Instagram post about Smokey The Bear and being safe in the woods on Labor Day weekend. Then Mother Nature decided to burn down Oregon. We finally got rain during an epic three-fifteen a.m. thunder and lightning show over my house and the fires on September 19th.

The above photo is what heaven looks like; rain on my back deck compete with ash on the side and one of my favorite glass blown paperweights. 

A huge salute to all our professional, volunteer, and citizen volunteer fire warriors. Also to the fire fighters who came from across the United States and the world to help us. Those men and women are true angels. They continue to fight on here and in California, Washington, and Colorado, to name a few other states still on fire.

Also a huge debt of gratitude to all the helpers who pitched in to evacuate horses, goats, llamas, pigs, alpacas, sheep, cattle, cats, dogs, birds, and you name it. We love our animals in this state and folks did their best to try and get everyone out.

We lost lives we can never replace. And some are still missing. Our compassion and shared sorrow surrounds those families.

But if not for the actions of such dedicated firefighters as Upper McKenzie Fire District Chief Rainbow, plus the Idanha-Detroit RFPD Volunteers, and all the city, sheriff, and state law enforcement personnel, the death toll would have been so much greater.

Mother Nature gave us epic high winds during a drought fire season. The equivalent of taking a blowtorch to a match stick factory storage room. When fire moves seventeen miles in five hours, you better have wheels and a clear road. That didn’t happen for everyone.

Then to pile on, Mother Nature tried to suffocate us with a weather inversion of smoke and the worst air quality in the world. For days. I’ve never been a big fan of the color orange, except on pumpkins, but that smoke messed with breathing. I really like my oxygen pure.  

While I was on Level One fire evacuation notice for a week, my family didn’t have to leave. SO GRATEFUL. I had close friends who did, and more who were on level two orders. 

So you might ask, what does a former military veteran author stuff in the car when you get the notice?

  1. Water
  2. Emergency meal bucket with 150 dried meals
  3. My external hard drive, all my SD memory cards, thumb drives, and cameras, phone and chargers
  4. My two in progress hard copy fiction manuscripts
  5. Cat carrier, cat food, litter, litter box, cat bed and toys
  6. Clothes, coats, personal hygiene items, drugs, precious jewelry
  7. Bedding, pillows, more food
  8. Rope, tarp, folding chairs
  9. There is always a go bag and emergency kit in the car.   

     For starters. 

I made an unpack list when we finally got the all clear, to assess my decisions, but I took my time over several days to unpack Subie; because Mother Nature is tricky.

The interesting parts are the weird thoughts you have with yourself. From my office desk I took four items. A Minion stress squeeze toy, two glass heart paperweights, and a plaque that says “Everyday a new story begins.”

An odd discussion I had with my sister revolved around whether I should pack Dad’s ashes. We agreed yes, since she thought it wouldn’t be right for him to be cremated twice. These are the odd things you ponder when you have the luxury of time. Think ahead folks.

And now Mother Nature continues to play Disaster Bingo in the Gulf Coast with another hurricane. Planet Earth needs a reboot!

So that’s what I’ve been up to. Also checking on friends and neighbors who are now back home and finding other friends whose families have lost homes.

Oregon’s official state animal is the beaver. And boy, howdy, we are going to rebuild our state and help each other out with that animal spirit. 

Filbert and Maple are on the job now at the Oregon Zoo, building.

Stay safe, sane, and get your emergency list prepared people. It’s still 2020!

Pandemic Puttering In Place?

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Thought I’d revisit some favorite Oregon spots we can’t go to right now. This is near Boiler Bay, just north of Depoe Bay. Inhale the sea air!

Welcome to the Middle Ages. This is what happens when new viruses hatch. It’s the ultimate game of keep away.

Hope you all stay safe and distant from each other, try not to wash the skin off your fingers, and don’t breath anyone else’s air.

Given my military and medical disaster background, wanted to offer a few ideas.

If you have shelter, stay there.

Now is the time to inventory your food. Frisk the pantry. Not only does this let you know what you have, but there are bonuses. A friend of mine found a purse she was missing.

Inventorying Spec Ops Cat’s canned food, I found my rum! Score. Gonna need that at some point. I did have to pour out the expired (2007) bottle of Baileys on St. Patrick’s Day, no less. But even I can’t drink chunky Baileys. Zombie apocalypse? I’d chew it. For sure.

I suggest an Indiana Jones adventure if you’ve got a refrigerator freezer or one in the garage, like I do. I checked online to see how long a frozen turkey is good. There is one hiding behind the blueberries. I’m afraid to look at the date on the tag. But, good to know all your assets.

Inventory your technology. Thought my power computer got hit by malware last week, but it checked out okay. In the meantime there are five computers in this house, I think. Most can be used as boat anchors. I bought a used Apple from my friend Carol, to help with manuscript formatting. But I’ve never used an Apple. My tech doctor told me not to start now. I believe he is heading my phone calls off at the pass.

For gold bonus points on the tech inventory, try to locate the matching manuals too. HA!

And now I have all the time in the world to fix all the online tech issues I’ve got with my web site redesign, my WordPress photo upload issue, and trying to remember how to use Instagram.

Which are all reasons why I am actually getting some writing done. Avoidance and procrastination. A two-fer!

Normally I enjoy being home and puttering in place as I call it. PIP. Now we’ve upgraded to Pandemic Puttering In Place, so PPIP.

Since I have a lot of boxes in my house from clearing out my mom’s apartment the end of February, plus my own boxes of papers to sort, I can keep busy for months. Then there are all my hoarded craft supplies.

Used some of my craft paint to make a big sign to wave at mom through her window at the Assisted Living Center. Because we got her moved in just in time for a pandemic lock down. That’s how my family’s luck rolls.

But the staff is doing a great job of keeping her safe and trying to entertain everybody and keep them fed, medicated, and active. Lessons we can all take to heart.

So, since I can’t add new photos to this post yet, I’m going to use old ones and make up new captions. Because I can.

But I wanted to leave you with some fun and calming videos to watch in your spare time. And to possibly save the hair of some parents who now have to teach their kids. All the time.

The Oregon Zoo staff is working hard to take care of the animals while the zoo is closed. But even a flamingo needs a hug. I have not seen an order for flamingo distancing yet. So they’re good.

If you want to go to the beach from your couch, this week the Oregon State Parks is live streaming whale watching on the Oregon Coast from Depoe Bay from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT through March 29th on YouTube live. Depoe Bay is one of my favorite places on the planet. We had our family beach house there for twenty-five years. World’s smallest harbor located between Lincoln City and Newport. Plus, I Iived there when I worked as a reporter and photographer on the Newport News-Times newspaper. 

If you miss the live stream during the day, you can watch the reruns! Four hours of glorious coastal waves and fabulous Park Rangers giving whale info every day. So park the kids in front and go for it. They even sighted a pod of orcas yesterday! (Time stamp 3:28:20)

In the meantime, I am going to try and find my Scooby Doo postage stamps, which have been missing for eighteen months in this house. Luckily, they are forever stamps. 

P.S. And for those of you who might enjoy ebooks, Amazon KindleUnlimited is free for two months! You could read my two romance fiction books for free! The next book in the Vintage Veterans military romance series is almost ready to go. Doing my best to concentrate and get that out there.

Stay safe, stay inside, stay sane.

Clean if you must.

And eat chocolate.   

Hugs from Oregon!

Happy Spring Moon!

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True sign of Spring? Wall of flip flops at the store Monday!

Spring! Finally! We’ve had a great couple days of nice weather and it gives me hope the sun will return again this year. For those of you still freezing your body parts off, my condolences. Mother Nature will share the sun again. I promise.

This is my favorite season, to see the daffodils peeking open, the pollen launching itself into the atmosphere and the plants showing up at the garden center. I did prevent myself from buying a five-foot tall metal flamingo the other weekend, but now there are three-foot ones in at my garden store. I might be tempted.

Carnations have arrived at the Garden Center. I did stop and take a whiff.

My yard art needs makeovers, the garage needs a major and continuing muck out, and all I want to do is nap in the sun spots like Spec Ops Cat. And read some good books. Which I have piled on the floor in my office and bedroom. I corral them in the rest of the house. Kinda.

Renewal. Hope. Bunny supplies! It’s time to buy the Easter candy and stock up before all the good stuff is gone. That includes accessories, basket booty and colored plastic eggs. With glitter. I have been in four bunny retail sections this past week. Two of them twice. Bunny bliss.  

Bunny candy! Bunny bags! Bunny cling stickers! Make me stop…..

My craft addiction continues apace and I ordered some Penny Black bunny stamps too. I know I can’t draw, but I can color inside the lines. Of course, I couldn’t stamp until I bagged a bottle of vegetable glycerin to help clean the stamps. Every endeavor requires equipment. I am a go for bunny stamps arriving soon. 

Now I get to plan the Bunny Brunch I am going to host for the family next month. Thought about bringing all my collected bunnies into the dining room for the event. But the living room may not be big enough. I’ve got BUNNIES! Will have to work on that idea. My own personal bunny rodeo.

Enjoy today’s first day of Spring and tonight’s full moon.

Spring is back!

Hug a bunny!

Time For A Spring Whittle?

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Wreath bells and decorations. The pine cones are in the garage. Somewhere.

I’m rebooting myself. If we can do it to computers, we can do it to ourselves. Between the crazy cold weather, my too long sick bay recovery and the state of my house, something needs to be rebooted. So I’ve decided to start with moi.

Mucking out the house seems a first priority. Since Spec Ops Cat refuses to do dishes and housework, I had to keep up with those necessities. But cleaning out closets when homebound has led to a plethora of boxes in the living room bound for Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and recycling.

Normally I would move all this flotsam into the garage, but it’s a mess too. Seems when I’m not feeling well I order things from Home Shopping Network to cheer me up. Then I throw the empty boxes into the garage until I can break them down. That also includes my Christmas wreath.

Miracles of miracles Monday, the sun came out and it was pleasant outside. I toddled out to the garage and proceeded to breakdown cardboard boxes and fill the entire recycling cart to the brim. Then I actually unwound the wire off the wreath, salvaging the bells and pine cones, and put the very dead fir limbs into the yard debris. 

Now I also kept the round wire frame. I’ve been doing this for years, buying holiday wreaths and then saving the frames. Haven’t used one yet. But I might. I’ve watched too many YouTube craft videos this year and I own an unused glue gun. Chaos will certainly reign at some point when it comes to these two items. I can only imagine the things I can stick myself to with a small amount of effort.

Yesterday I almost took the electronic recycling in the back of Subie to the drop off place, but I couldn’t get my butt out the door. Today is another day! The old HP printer and monitor belonged to the ancient computer I finally switched to my new computer. It only took six months, two technicians and a ton of chocolate. I’ve kept the old desktop just in case. I might need a doorstop or a boat anchor.

But I like to think this is progress. I also dragged some boxes to sort from my parent’s house out of my exercise room, it holds equipment, not that I use it. I am happy to say Subie will be driving a vintage punch bowl set to a friend of mine to donate to her church. One more box out of the house.

I watched a lot of videos while cooped up and stumbled upon Mari Kondo’s Netflix series about Tidying Up. Basically it all comes down to one thing – you have to sort your crap, er stuff. But the series gave me hope that one day I will again park Subie in the middle of the garage and perhaps see the rug in the exercise room.

Don’t get me started on my office. Between papers and books, it’s easier to fight my way to the computer and ignore it. But I am whittling on it all. That’s my new word for sorting and cleaning. Whittling. Doesn’t seem that hard to whittle away a box at a time.

My goal is to have it done by this Fall. Or at least by the time I buy another holiday wreath.

It could happen! 

Got anything to whittle at your house?   

How About Naughty And Nice?

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Seems to be a trend in my recent purchases…….watch out 2019.

About this time of the holiday season I am ready for a break. Not that I do that much holiday stuff, but the expectations seem to spill out of every tv, ad and social media post about all the fun everybody else is having. I think we’re all stressed. Whether we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanza or the Winter Solstice too, it’s a busy time.

It has not slipped my mind that these big holidays in the old US of A also correspond with the least amount of light and what would be a slow down in shopping given the bad weather. Cagey advertisers back in the day.

Holiday decor items I have bought this season include a lot of naughty and nice references. I’m veering toward naughty. Think this means 2019 might be a pretty fun year for me. One can hope.

What I like to focus on is rediscovering the kid inside each of us. Monday I was weaving through crowds at Target in search of cat food and peanut butter. I spied an adorable ice cream truck toy in someone’s cart. Instant love. I wanted to take a picture after getting the peanut butter, but the cart had vanished.

Our Generation Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck from Target web site. Be still my heart! (Photo by Our Generation)

I did a quick recon around the toy department, but seriously without full combat gear it was a dicey proposition. Finishing my shopping I came around the aisle into the shampoo area and there it was again. Now, the cart owners were right by it so I couldn’t easily take a picture. I would have if the store wasn’t so packed, but it confirmed I could find it online when I got home.

Looking on my tablet I discovered it is the Our Generation Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck and a Good Housekeeping Toy of the Year in 2016. A total of 129 parts! How did I not know this? It is for an eighteen-inch tall doll. I just measured my vintage Chatty Cathy. She is nineteen-inches tall. I bet I could stuff her inside. On sale at eighty-two dollars, that is still pricey.

Do I need a Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck? No. Do I have room for one? No. Do I want one? Yes! Welcome to the holidays. While I should be balancing my checkbook and finishing the Christmas cards, I am dreaming about an ice cream truck for my doll. It comes in light blue or pink. I can’t decide! Chatty Cathy’s dress is pink. But I like the blue. Curses. 

What was I thinking? Costco must have cookies by the ton, right?

In the meantime I have a stack of holiday tins to fill with cookies by the end of the week. I do believe I may have over-reached on this project. So operation cookie bake commences on Thursday afternoon. Wish me luck.

Pristine. Before I started cutting into it each morning.

To indulge my inner child, this year I bought a Crafters Companion Advent Calendar on HSN. I’ve been having so much fun opening each door every morning and getting a new metal paper cutting die. My inner kid is so excited when I take my fifty-plus vitamin.

So let’s all give ourselves a break right now and indulge our inner child. It can be as simple as hiding under the blankets for five more minutes, having hot cocoa instead of coffee, taking a jammie day or evening, or calling a good friend we haven’t laughed with recently.

 

Or dreaming about an ice cream truck for your doll.

Dear Santa,

Please bring me a Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck.

Or Aquaman. Or both.

I’ve been mostly nice in 2018. I hope to be naughty next year.

Cookies galore at my house!

Love Kim

 

Harvest Or Hibernate?

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Sky view of Spec Ops Cat new favorite spot; empty paper box in the sun. Nap ahoy!

Huge Harvest Moon last night. Which partly explains my urges to nap or eat. Or eat and nap. With the golden light of Fall turning the leaves red, orange and dead, time to conserve energy.

We are having glorious eighty degree weather right now here in Oregon, so no need to hibernate. But I want to. Is it the pumpkins in the store? The Halloween candy stocked in all the aisles? The sun setting at seven p.m.? Yes.

Then that true sign of winter appeared on tv; Hallmark Christmas movies start on Oct. 26! My intent is to read, write and craft this winter. Seems I went down the rabbit hole this year and started collecting card crafting items. Swore I would not go there, but I did. (Gemini Junior! Diamond Press! Anna Griffin! Stop me now….. )

However, I will not be making my Christmas cards. Really. I send fun cards and I have a ton of those from last year’s clearance sales. I try to be cheap, er thrifty. But notice I did not say never. I’ve eaten that word so many times it’s not funny. So now I avoid it. 

The harvest festivals are starting and the farmer’s markets are closing. Can snow be far behind? Let’s get ahold of ourselves. Stop that. Time to go fondle my craft supplies. Paper therapy.

Spring will come again. Right after I eat myself into a stupor this holiday season. Time to go fire up the treadmill; for Spec Ops Cat.

Might be time to start hoarding cans of Libby’s pumpkin pie mix. Just to be safe…….